The Godling Chronicles

by Brian D. Anderson

  “I must admit, I do miss civilized ways,” he sighed, after taking a tiny sip. “I never thought my study of tactics would be of any practical use. Had it been different, I would have spent more time in the wild with my brothers. They are more equipped to be soldiers than I.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short,” Zarin told him. “You may not be the toughest of men, but you have led your soldiers to…how many victories?”

  “Fifteen,” he responded, head held high. “Only your victories are more numerous.”

  “That is because you serve under me, Lord Ergona. Your victories are mine.” He enjoyed reminding the nobles that although he was of unknown heritage, they were under his command. They lived and died according to the will of the Bull. In reality, not even the kings and queens held more power.

  “You are correct, as always, my Lord.”

  “Is there anything else?”

  “Only if you would like to tell me why we retreat.”

  Zarin looked at him stone-faced. “Do you feel I am required to share this?”

  He rapidly held up his palms. “No, not at all, my Lord. It is just that my captains are inquiring, and I would have liked to have a reply other than ignorance to offer them.”

  As was often the case, Zarin felt a burning desire to bring him down a notch, to drive home the uncomfortable truth that a high noble must fear a man of low birth. But he was well aware that he might still be in need of Ergona after the war was over. The kingdoms would be out to put him down. Even the mighty Bull of the West required allies.

  “The elves think we muster to fight them near the coast west of Baltria,” he began. “I have sent ships to patrol the area to encourage that belief. As we speak, they are gathering a hundred miles north of where they think we will be.”

  “I admit, I too believed that west of Baltria was our destination. So your deception was certainly effective, my Lord. But if not there, then where?”

  “The bulk of the elves are on their way here from the Eastland. The remaining elves are two weeks’ march to the west near the Tarvansia Peninsula. I’ve ordered the whole of our forces to join us in the north. The elves will believe we are reinforcing our position for a major assault on their lands.”

  “But will that not leave the kingdoms along the Abyss undefended?”

  “Yes. But the enemy’s strength in that area is nowhere close to being enough to threaten the major strongholds. To do that, they would need to gather their entire force. And I intend to ensure that this is exactly what they do.”

  Realization dawned on Ergona’s face. “I see. You hope to lure them into a trap.”

  “And with all of them in one place, we can end this once and for all.”

  Ergona’s smile went from one of courtesy to genuine cheer. “That is excellent news indeed.”

  “You see? I’ll have you home and sleeping in your own bed before the harvest.”

  He took another drink. This time when he offered the bottle to Ergona, the man did not hesitate. “Now if there is nothing else.”

  “No, My Lord. That is all.” With a parting bow, he exited the tent.

  Zarin returned his attention to the map in front of him. Using the tip of his finger, he pushed aside the coin covering the location where he planned to crush the elf armies forever. Maiden Pass. It would be in that narrow area of stony ground that the world would begin anew.

  Eliminating the elves would be just the start. The name of Lord Zarin, the Bull of the West, would ring through the ages as the man who brought peace to the entire human world.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Felsafell led Jayden to a small clearing by the bank of a narrow stream half a mile from the cabin. The air was crisp, and chilled further by a stiff breeze. Fireflies darted just above the surface of the water – a sight Jayden would have found pleasing to watch had his head not been filled with so much confusion.

  Felsafell knelt by the water and rinsed his hands. “Bonded with her, did you?”

  “I didn’t mean to.”

  He smiled over his shoulder. “No? An accident you say? How unfortunate. Elf bonding is not to be taken lightly. Oh, no.”

  “Can I undo it?”

  He splashed water over his face. “Only one love have I had. That love is precious to me. Why would you wish to discard yours?”

  “I don’t love her.”

  “Are you sure? I know little of elf ways as they are today. But bonds are not given lest the heart and spirit are willing. But you are no elf. This is true, yes?”

  “I told you what I am.”

  The old hermit stood and strolled over to a patch of soft grass where sat down cross-legged. He waited until Jayden had joined him before speaking any further.

  “You told me much. Left old Felsafell with many questions. An odd thing – I had forgotten the thrill of curiosity. But a man out of his own time…that has my old brain wandering. My kin tell me not to ask too much. And wise they are to say it. Not even the undying should know their own destiny. So it is your dilemma we shall speak of most.”

  He held out a finger and a firefly landed on the tip, its green light pulsing slowly for a moment before taking off again. “The wonders of the world are endless indeed. Yes?”

  Jayden sighed inwardly. Clearly, the hermit could not – or possibly would not – help with the bond he now shared with Gia. That being so, he pressed on to the reason he had come.

  “How can I make my father remember?”

  “Death is the only remedy,” Felsafell replied. “His or yours. No power can stop him. No army can halt his march. By your hand he must end. You alone can do this.”

  Jayden’s back shot up straight. “That’s madness! I can’t kill my own father.”

  The old man laughed. “This is true. Oh, yes, it is. And yet you must do so to set things to rights. This is what my kin has said. And believe them, I do.”

  “But if I kill him, my mother will die,” he protested. The thought that he would be trapped in this bygone world occurred.

  “Will she? Are you sure? She was not dead before you came to this place.”

  “I don’t know how this works,” he admitted. “I don’t know if I’m changing the past or just fulfilling it. But what I do know for sure is that the bond between my parents is different. She will certainly die if it’s broken.”

  Felsafell held up his hand and wagged his finger. “Ah, yes. The unanswerable question. One not even I dare try to answer. All I can tell you is what I know…and that is not much. Perhaps that your mother lives is the key. Perhaps not. Who but the Creator can know for certain?”

  Jayden could not believe what he was hearing. This couldn’t be the answer. To kill his father? And his mother?

  “If this was meant to be, all is well,” the old man added. “But if not, you must ask yourself this: Will you sacrifice the elves? Even I fear for them. The Bull is relentless. Oh, yes. A god’s passion with human fears. The end it could spell for elfkind. He will kill them all.”

  It was giving Jayden a headache just thinking about the possibilities. In his time, none of this had happened. He had never enjoyed studying history and was certainly no scholar, but that didn’t matter; everyone knew the outcome of the first Great War. Even the split that happened toward the end was common knowledge. Did this mean that he had killed his father? No. He refused to believe it.

  “Even if I wanted to kill him, I wouldn’t be able to,” he pointed out. “I can’t even get close to where he is.”

  “A master of battle I am not. You must find your own way. The Creator guides us all to the proper place and time. Though time, it would seem, holds a new meaning. When what’s yet to come is also long ago. Yes?” Felsafell laughed at his own words.

  Jayden’s anger boiled. “You think this is funny?”

  “Of course I do. How could I not? But still your rage, and forgive my amusement. Long have I lived. To find something new is a joy for old souls. And perhaps I can help you. Oh, yes. A weapon you need to figh
t with. Your bonded mate seeks me out for this purpose. Yes?”

  “She is not my mate,” he retorted. “And yes. She tells me you have a weapon that can help them.”

  Felsafell scratched his beard absently. “I have no mighty weapon. Oh, no. Never have I had a need for such a thing. But there is a place far from here. There you will find what she desires. Beneath the Maker’s Temple is where it can be found. Put there by heavenly gardeners in ages past, when even I was young and foolish.”

  “The Maker’s Temple? Do you mean the Chamber of the Maker?”

  He shrugged. “Names change. The new ones rarely reach my ears. So I cannot say. To the west you must go, and with haste. For the day is coming, and coming soon. Armies of elf and human will soon join in battle. Should you fail, it will mean the end. Though the end to what remains a riddle.”

  Jayden considered what he’d heard. The heavenly gardeners were the gods, he presumed. Or were they? He had heard stories that, long ago before humans arrived, elves had once ruled the world. It could be a reference to them. The Maker’s Temple was the real question. If it was another name for the Chamber of the Maker, they should be able to find this desperately needed weapon without too much difficulty. If it was not the same place, then perhaps Gia would have some knowledge of where the Maker’s Temple might be.

  Gia. Thinking her name caused him to feel their bond keenly. She was still in a deep sleep. For a moment he could see strange images in his mind of people he had never met. Dreams; he was seeing her dreams. A wave of guilty embarrassment came over him. He had no right to invade her private thoughts. Was she aware of it? And could she do the same to him? The obvious answer was disconcerting. How did people live this way? Without privacy? There had to be a way to prevent it.

  Felsafell rose with a quick hop. “I see your mind is occupied. And mine is drifting north. Overdue I am. My love awaits. She will be cross if I do not come.”

  Jayden jumped up beside him. “You’re leaving?”

  “Of course. I have no place in these affairs. My love awaits, and I must heed my heart’s call …old as it may be. There’s nothing more I can do for you. The path you’ve chosen is yours to tread, not mine. But not alone you venture forth. You may refuse to call her mate or wife. But she is with you now, and you with her.” A sly grin crept up. “Perhaps that is why you came? To find the other half of your whole. It would warm my old soul to think this is true. A story of love to rival the most ancient of tales.”

  Having said this, he spun on his heels and, in a single leap, crossed the brook.

  Jayden started after him, but the old man was already out of sight. He stood there for several minutes simply staring into the night, not knowing what to do next. He had come here for help and for answers. Yet not even the oldest and wisest being in the world could show him a way out of his predicament. On top of that, there was the problem he faced with Gia. Even if he were successful in saving his parents, what would happen then? He and Gia were bonded, and his returning home might kill them both.

  While making his way back to the cabin, he caught brief glimpses into her mind. Dreams of wandering alone and afraid in the forest, like a child in the dark for the first time without her mother. He had a sudden urge to be with her, to protect her and let her know she was not alone.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” he muttered. He barely knew her. There was also the small point that she thought him to be scum.

  Of course, now that they were bonded, she would know the truth. The question was, how would she react to this? Not well, was his guess.

  Inside the cabin, after finding a bottle of sweet wine, he finally got around to eating the food he had prepared earlier. It was cold, but he didn’t care. Once finished, he removed both the pot from the stove and the venison from the spit. No point in wasting good food. By morning it would be burnt, and Gia was sure to be hungry.

  For the rest of the night Jayden sat at the table staring at her, wondering what the next day would bring. For short periods he was able to ignore their bond, pushing it to the back of his mind. Then another dream would bring it back to the fore. Though by rights he should have felt exhausted, anxiety was keeping him fully awake.

  Time passed slowly. When the first light of dawn finally filtered in through the window, he was almost trembling in anticipation of what was to come. She would wake soon. The accusations and recriminations would then begin. And they would be brutal. Worse, she would be justified in her anger.

  “I am not angry.”

  He looked over to see that she was sitting up in bed. Her face was expressionless.

  “I knew this could happen,” she said. “I should not have blamed you.”

  “What do you mean, you knew this could happen?”

  Gia lowered her eyes. “I felt my spirit drawn to yours the moment we met. That was why I did not want you to heal me. I knew that if you did, it would bond us.”

  “So why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Would that have stopped you?”

  Jayden thought for a moment, replaying the events in his mind. “No. I couldn’t have let you die. Not when I could prevent it.”

  “I know. And because of my foolishness, our choices have become infinitely more difficult. I should have killed you.”

  Her words struck him deeply, far more so than he would have expected.

  “I am sorry if that is hurtful,” she added, though without any trace of regret in her tone. “But now I have discovered who and what you are, and why you have come here, I cannot believe otherwise.”

  “And now that you have, what will you do?”

  “I don’t know. My reason tells me that it cannot be true. It defies all sanity and logic. And yet, I know that it is.”

  “Is there a way to break the bond?”

  “Yes. But it is dangerous. And should we succeed, it would leave us both empty and broken. I have seen it happen before.”

  Flashes of images entered Jayden’s mind. Sullen-eyed elves without the spirit to so much as eat or drink. Dead in all but body. He shook his head, eyes shut tight.

  “Don’t do that,” he growled.

  “I’m sorry, but it’s beyond my control. I am young and do not have the experience to govern what I show you. Nor can I prevent your thoughts from invading mine.”

  “I don’t understand. I thought bonded mates had to love one another. We don’t even like each other. Hell, from what I’ve seen, you hate me.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t hate you. I fear you. What you are is an abomination to my people. The power you can wield is terrifying. It should never be. As for love…I have no way to know what drives the heart of a being born of both elf and god. But I can already feel myself changing. We have always known that bonds formed instinctively cannot be fought. Our spirits know the truth of our hearts. In time, I will love you. I will not be able to stop myself. I was meant to love you. And you me.”

  “How did you know this so quickly?”

  She allowed herself a fragile smile. “Women are usually more sensitive to these things. I felt the pull outside the tent, even before I saw you. Did your mother not experience the same with your father?”

  She had been viewing his memories. This time it did not bother him quite so much. “I don’t know how it happened, exactly. Only that it was not their choice in the beginning.”

  “And do they love one another?”

  “Yes. More than any two people I’ve met.”

  “So it will be with us.”

  Jayden could see tears welling in her eyes. “I…I’m sorry,” he said.

  “As am I.”

  “We have a year, right? Until then, we’re not fully bonded

  “Yes. One year to complete the bond. And if you decline to do so, not being full-blooded, you will likely live. Whereas I will surely die.”

  The thought of this happening sent a cold knot to the pit of his stomach. “There has to be something we can do.”

  “There is only one thing to do
now. We must kill your father.”

  Jayden shot from his chair. “No! I won’t do it. I can make him remember. I’m sure of it.”

  Her tears were still falling, yet no sobs came forth. “You cannot lie to me. You knew what must be done before you left Felsafell.”

  “But my mother…she –”

  “She will follow him in death,” she said, cutting him short. “And through your sacrifice, the elves will endure. This is the choice you have already made. I can feel it. I can feel the pain inside you. And when it is done, I will suffer with you.”

  She slipped out of bed and crossed over to him. “The Creator has brought us to this place. I must believe this is Her will. You came to save your family, but instead you will save my people from annihilation. That is why you are here. And why I will be by your side. No one should have to face such horror alone.” She touched his hand.

  Jayden’s tears were now falling as well. The sensation of her flesh was like nothing he had ever experienced. He knew so much about her without a word being spoken. She was a woman of deep conviction, unfathomable passion, and unbreakable courage. She believed the words she had spoken. And she would stand by him through whatever challenges they may face.

  How can I kill my own father?

  The unspoken words drifted between them effortlessly.

  “I can see him in your heart,” she said, a compassionate smile forming. “This is what he would tell you to do. As would Kaylia, your mother.”

  Choking back the tears, Jayden sat down again and wiped his face on his sleeve. “If you can feel what I feel, then you will know I haven’t yet given up hope of saving them.”

  Gia took a seat at the table opposite him. “Your hope is my own. Even were we not bonded, I would never wish such a thing as this on you, or anyone else. You have my word: if there is a way, I will help you find it.”

  They sat in silence for several minutes, a flood of emotion continuously passing between them. What he had previously thought of as a burden was gradually becoming a comfort. He knew there were only two likely outcomes. For all his strange words, Felsafell was quite clear on this particular point. Either his father would die, or he would.